Jeff Marshall: Kemp appointment 'a good one'

Posted: Monday, January 11, 2010

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I'm no fan of Republican Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue - I voted for him once, but not twice - but his appointment of local businessman and former state Sen. Brian Kemp as secretary of state is a good one.

Yet both Republicans and Democrats have leveled charges of cronyism and partisanship regarding the Kemp appointment. Pundits have all but anointed Kemp, given the supposed insurmountable advantage that incumbency will bring in the general election. Kemp, of course, is a Republican candidate for the secretary of state's post in this year's election. He was appointed by Perdue to fill the place of former Republican Secretary of State Karen Handel, who resigned to devote her full time to her run for governor.

In his Thursday column, local Banner-Herald columnist Johnathan McGinty wrote, "By all accounts, Kemp has the makings of an effective and competent secretary of state who can help repair (the office's) damaged image." Yet McGinty then calls for "an interim secretary of state who would pledge not to seek re-election in 2010." Unfortunately, interim managers rarely thrive in government, or in sports or business, for that matter. More than a caretaker, for the next year, the people of Georgia deserve a savvy, motivated manager in the secretary's office.

In 1971, following the in-office death of the venerable U.S. Sen. Richard Russell, Democratic Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter appointed David Gambrell to serve the remaining 19 months of Russell's term. Gambrell was impeccably qualified - and was then chairman of the state Democratic Party - yet lost the special election in November 1972. He lost to a young, tough, savvy opponent who embraced the outsider's role as a nonincumbent. That young man the people of Georgia chose was Sam Nunn. He did OK. Give Kemp a fair chance, because ultimately the people will decide.